As dusk seeped through the gaps in the curtains, Yu Jiuyuan finally stirred.
She had been sitting in a curled-up position for too long, and a dull pain came from her tailbone, as if she were being repeatedly pricked by fine needles.
The silk curtains, unconsciously twisted between her fingertips, had already frayed at the edges. The silver-gray threads were wrapped around her knuckles, leaving several faint red marks, like some kind of silent mark.
The villa was eerily quiet.
Zhang Ma was probably sent back to the main house by Rong Shenghan, and even the aroma of food that used to waft over there disappeared.
Only the antique clock on the wall continues its tireless ticking, its sound striking the heart, as if urging something on.
What exactly is she struggling with?
Yu Jiuyuan raised her hand and pressed her temples, trying to clear the tangled thoughts in her mind.
The system panel hovered deep within his consciousness, and the "100" in Rong Shenghan's column was dazzlingly bright.
A 100% completion rate means she has already won this game, at least with him.
According to her usual practice, she should gracefully withdraw at this moment and shift her attention to the unfinished goal.
For example, Lin Yanran, whose favorability rating is stuck at 46, or Xie Zhecheng, who always maintains a perfect distance.
But she didn't.
She huddled in this dark and gloomy bedroom, letting herself be overwhelmed by inexplicable emotions.
This is so unlike her.
Memories suddenly surged up uncontrollably.
The first time I met Rong Shenghan in the student council office, he was wearing a neatly pressed white shirt, smiling as he handed me a cup of hand-drip coffee, saying, "President Yu, I've heard so much about you."
At that time, she thought he was just another person trying to climb the social ladder by taking advantage of the Rong family's power, and casually took the cup, but her fingertips were burned by the temperature of the cup.
Later, on a forest path at Saint Sakura Academy, he shielded her from an out-of-control bicycle, leaving a gruesome abrasion on his arm.
As she handed him the band-aid, he grabbed her wrist, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "President Yu, is this how you try to get rid of me?"
And then... came countless entangled nights, the name he whispered in her ear, the obsession in his eyes when he lost control, the calm and collected way he helped her resolve the Su family's troubles, and the patience he showed by her bedside when she was sick...
These images, like fragments, piece together an increasingly clear picture of Rong Shenghan, and also a picture of an increasingly unfamiliar version of myself.
She got used to his presence.
She had grown accustomed to the scent of ebony on him, to the smile in his eyes when he looked at her, to how easily he could see through her disguise, and she had grown accustomed to letting down her guard in front of him.
This habit is more unsettling than any strategy or technique.
Like a meticulously built castle, if someone secretly removes a brick, the surface may still look solid, but the foundation may have already become loose.
Knowing this, she hesitated to repair it, even... secretly hoping for the moment it would completely collapse.
Yes, she's indulging herself.
She indulged herself in developing a concern for him that went beyond what she considered a "target," indulged herself in revealing her true emotions in front of him, indulged herself... and began to ponder the ethereal concept of "feelings."
But what is emotion?
For Yu Jiuyuan, it was something even more difficult to understand than the system tasks.
She could accurately capture and utilize Yuan Xu's purity, Xie Zhecheng's restraint, and Lin Yanran's awkwardness. But Rong Shenghan was like a flowing mist, making him unclear and ungraspable, yet she couldn't help but want to get closer.
What was her feeling for him—a desire to conquer, dependence, or... something else?
"Click".
The soft click of the door lock turning interrupted her thoughts.
Yu Jiuyuan tensed up like a startled beast and instinctively shrank into the shadows.
When Rong Shenghan pushed open the door, he brought with him the chill of the night dew.
He didn't turn on the main light, but only switched on the wall lamp by the door. In the dim light, he saw a small figure on the bay window, like a cat abandoned by the whole world.
"Haven't eaten?" He walked over, his voice very soft, as if afraid of disturbing something.
Yu Jiuyuan didn't turn around or say anything.
He stood behind her for a while, then suddenly bent down and draped a warm coat over her shoulders.
The cashmere was soft and warm, instantly enveloping her cold body, and carrying his familiar ebony scent.
“Aunt Zhang left some soup; we can just heat it up and drink it.” He sat down beside her, and together they gazed at the inky night sky through the gap in the curtains. “It’s snowing outside.”
Yu Jiuyuan finally reacted.
She moved her fingers, her fingertips touching the buttons on her coat. The cool metallic touch cleared her muddled mind a little.
"Rong Shenghan," she suddenly spoke, her voice so low it was almost a whisper, "tell me, why do people fall in love with others?"
This question was abrupt and naive, and didn't sound like it came from her at all.
Rong Shenghan didn't find it strange. He turned his head and looked at her lowered eyelashes, which trembled like butterfly wings in the dim light.
"It was probably... at some point, that I felt the other person was different from others."
"What's different?"
"I can't explain it." He smiled and gently touched her hair with his fingertips. "It could be when he smiles, it could be the way he does things, or it could just be... because he's by your side."
Yu Jiuyuan fell silent.
His answer was vague, but it unexpectedly hit the nail on the head.
She remembered Rong Shenghan's profile when he shielded her from the bicycle, his calmness when dealing with the Su family's troubles, his patience when feeding her porridge when she was sick, and the obsession in his eyes when he lost control...
These moments, strung together, constitute a unique Rong Shenghan, a being she felt was "different".
This "difference" made her irritable and uneasy, yet she...couldn't ignore it.
"What if..." she paused, her voice trembling slightly, "what if this feeling of liking someone gets in my way?"
For example, it might distract her when pursuing other goals, cause her to lose her composure in the game, and make her unlike herself.
Seeing the struggle in her eyes, Rong Shenghan suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.
The movements were gentle, yet carried an undeniable tenderness. "Then let it interfere."
His voice landed on the top of her head, carrying a hint of confident indulgence: "Yuanyuan, you don't have to be so clear-headed all the time. It's okay to be confused once in a while."
Warm breath came through his hair, carrying the warmth of his body.
Yu Jiuyuan leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, which was like a calming spell, gradually soothing her chaotic emotions.
She didn't push him away.
Perhaps, as he said, it's okay to be confused once in a while.
At least tonight, she didn't want to think about strategies, games, or feelings anymore.
All she wanted to do was lean against him like this, smell the ebony on him, listen to his heartbeat, and indulge herself in this moment of peace.
The snow outside the window fell heavier and heavier, pattering softly onto the glass, as if playing a silent lullaby for the two people, each lost in their own thoughts.
And this game seems to have unknowingly deviated from its original course.
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